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F 1 K S T ANNUAL MEETING 



PROCEEDINGS 



(COMMISSIONERS 



SOLDIERS' NATIONAL CEME 
ASSOCIATION 



hi: 1.1) AT PHILADELPHIA 



THK Ttli OF DECEMBKi;, lKti4. 



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P K () V I D K N C K : 
K N \\ r. E a , ANTHONY & CO, P K I N T K U S . 

1864. 




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FIEST ANNUAL MEETING 



PROCEEDINGS 



COMMISSIONERS 



SOLDIERS' NATIONAL CEMETERY 



ASSOCIATION, 



HELD AT PHILADELPHIA, 



THE 7th OF DECEMBEE, 1864. 



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PROVIDENCE: 
KNOWLBS, ANTHONY & CO., PRINTERS, 
1864. 






£7415- 

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PROCEEDINGS 



Philadelphia, December 7th, 1864. 
The annual meeting of the Soldieks' National Cemetery 
Association was held at the Continental Hotel, in the City of 
Philadelphia, at 5 o'clock, this day. 

David Wills, President of the Association, in the chair. 

The Secretary, John R. Bartlett, called the roll of the 
Commissioners of the several States, when the following gentle- 
men answered to their names. 



B. W. NORRIS, 

Henry Edwards, 
Paul Dillingham, 
John R. Bartlett, 
Edward Cooper, 
Levi Scobey, 
David Wills, 
John R. Latimer, 
Benjamin Deford, 
Gordon Lofland, 
Chester D. Hubbard, 
Clark E. Carr, 
Thomas White Ferry, 
W. Y. Selleck, 



of Maine. 

" Massachusetts. 

" Vermont. 

" Rhode Island. 

" New York. 

" f^ew Jersey. 

" Pennsylvania. 

" Delaware. 

" Maryland. 

" Ohio. 

" West Virginia. 

" Illinois. 

" Michicfan. 

" Wisconsin. 



The Commissioners of New Hampshire, Connecticut, and 
Indiana were absent. 



TJie President presented letters from Alfred Coit, Esq., of 
Connecticut, and Gov. Ramsey, of Minnesota, stating the 
reasons for their absence. 

The President submitted his Report of the financial condition 
and management of the Association, which was read by the 
Secretary. 

On motion, tlie report was accepted and ordered to be placed 
on file. 

The President submitted the Report of Samuel R. Russell, 
Esq., the Treasurer of the Association, which was read by the 
Secretary. 

On motion, the report was accepted and ordered to be placed 
on file. 

The Auditing Committee stated that they had examined the 
Treasurer's account by comparing the accompanyhig vouchers 
with the corresponding items in the account, which they had 
found correct, and had accordingly appended their certificate to 
the same. 

The Auditing Committee also stated that they had examined 
the exhibit of expenditures accompanying the Report of the 
President, which they had found correct, and appended their 
certificate accordingly to the same. 

Mr. Latimer, from the Executive Committee, submitted their 
Report, which was read by the Secretary. 

On motion, the report was accepted and ordered to be placed 
on file. 

On motion of Mr. Carr, the Reports of the President, the 
Treasurer, and tlie Executive Committee, were ordered to be 
printed for the use of the Board. 

Mr. Wood, of the firm of Wood & Perot, was introduced 
by the Executive Committee, and laid on the table photographs 
from the designs for the iron fence and gateway of the Cemetery, 
which were distributed to the several Commissioners. 

On motion of Mr. Cooper, of New York, the thanks of the 
PxKiid wore presented to Messrs. Wood & Perot for the several 
i.(i})ie3 (jf the designs presented by them. 



On motion of Mr. Cooper, the words " National Cemetery " 
were directed to be placed upon the proposed gateway. 

On motion of Mr. Cooper, the several reports were taken up 
and considered. 

Gov. Dillingham moved that the proposed head stones to be 
placed at the graves of the soldiers in the National Cemetery be 
made of granite. 

Mr. Deford moved an amendment to substitute marble for 
the proposed head stones. 

A considerable discussion was elicited on the question, which 
of the two materials should be employed, in which the durability 
and expense of eacli was considered. 

The question being taken upon Mr. Deford's amendment, to 
employ marble, it was lost. 

The vote was then taken upon Gov. Dillingham's motion, 
and carried by the following vote. 

Ayes. Messrs. B. W. Norris, Henry Edwards, Paul Dilling- 
ham, John R. Bartlett, Edward Cooper, Levi Scobey, David 
Wills, C. D. Hubbard, Gordon Lofland, W. Y. Selleck, T. W. 

Ferry. 11. 

JSfai/s. Messrs. Benjamin Deford, J. R. Latimer, Clark E. 

Carr. 3. 

Mr. Norris, of Maine, submitted the following resolution, 
which was adopted. 

Resolved, That the President and Secretary of this Board be a 
Committee in its behalf to memorialize the Congress of the United 
States now in session, at Washington, to appropriate the sum of fifty 
thousand dollars to the Soldiers' National Cemetery, for the erection 
of a monument to the memory of the soldiers who fell in the memo- 
rable battles at Gettysburg, on the first, second and third days of 
July, 1803. 

Mr. Scobey, of New Jersey, submitted the following resolu- 
tion, which was passed. 

Resolved, That the President be requested to address the Governors 
of the sevt'.ral States which liave made appropriations for the Soldier's 



6 

National Cemetery, at Gettysburg, apprising them that the amount 
thus far contributed by their Legislatures is inadequate to carry out 
the plans of the Association, in consequence of the great advance in 
labor, the cost of materials and the adoption of a design for a monu- 
ment costing about forty thousand dollars more than originally estima. 
ted for ; and that he ask them to procure from their Legislatures an 
additional appropriation, equal to the sum originally asked for, for the 
purpose of completing the Soldiers' National Monument at Gettysburg, 
in case the amount required shall not be granted by the Congress of 
the United States, for the same object. 

Mr. Latimer, of Maryland, submitted the following resolu- 
tion, which was adopted. 

Resolved, That the Secretary notify the Executives of the respective 
States, the terms of whose Commissioners will expire on the first of 
January, 18G5, in order that the vacancies thus produced may be 
promptly filled. 

Mr. Latimer also submitted the following preamble and 
resolution, which was adopted. 

Whereas, by resolution of the Board passed at the meeting held 
April 6th, 1864, David Wills was appointed General Superinten- 
dent of the Cemetery for the current year ; and whereas, the fiscal year 
closes on the 30th day of November, and the annual meeting of the 
Board held on the first Wednesday of December ; Be it resohed 
that David Wills be, and he is hereby, re-appointed General Super- 
intendent from the first day of December, for one year, and the sum 
of one hundred dollars per month be continued to be paid him, for his 
services from said date. 

Mr. Latimer also submitted the following resolution, which 
was adopted. 

Resolved, That the President be requested to renew applications to 
the various railroad companies for free tickets over their roads for the 
Commissioners, traveling in discharge of their duties, in going to and 
from Gettysburg. 

On motion of Mr. Coopkr, of New York, the Board pro- 
ceeded to the election of officers of the Soldiers' Nntinnnl 
Cemetery Association for the ensuing year. 



Ballots were distributed to the several members, when the 
followino; officers were elected. 

President, David Wills, of Pennsylvania. 

Secretary, John R. Bartlett, " Rhode Island. 

On motion, Mr. Samuel R. Russell, of Gettysburg, was 
re-elected Treasurer of the Association for the ensuing year, 
upon his giving bonds for $20,000, as required by the act of 
incorporation. 

The following gentlemen were elected the Auditing Com- 
mittee. 

John R. Bartlett, of Rhode Island. 
Henry Edw^ards, " Massachusetts. 
Gordon Lofland, " Ohio. 

On motion, the President of the Board was appointed ex- 
officio a member of the Executive Committee. 

Mr. Selleck, of Wisconsin, was appointed a member of the 
Executive Committee. 

On motion, it was voted that the Commissioner of the State 
of New York be a member of the Executive Committee. 

On motion of Mr. Carr, of Illinois, it was voted that the 
next annual meeting of this Board be held in the city of Chicago, 
Illinois. 

Mr. Ferry, of Michigan, submitted the following resolution, 
which was adopted. 

Resolved, That a special tablet be authorized, upon which, under the 
direction of the Executive Committee, the names of all who were 
killed, or died of wounds received at the battles of Gettysbiu'g, and 
were buried elsewhere, so far as may be known, shall be appropriately 
inscribed, together with the places of their interment. 

A lithographic engraving of the proposed monument to be 
erected in the Soldiers' National Cemetery, was received from 
Mr. Batterson, the architect. 



8 

Mr. NoRRis, of Maine, . submitted the following resolution, 
which was adopted. 

Resolved, That the thanks of this Board be presented to Mr. Bart- 
LETT, for the very acceptable manner in which he has discharged the 
duties of Secretary during the year now closing. 

On motion, the proceedings of this meeting were ordered to 
be printed by the Secretary, and distributed to the members of 
the Board. 

Adjourned. 

JOHN R. BARTLETT, 

Secretary. 



LiUKPRY Of- CONGRESS 



013 425 257 1 



